Implement controlling device



Oct. 15, 1957 5. B. HILL ET AL 2,309,574

IMPLEMENT CONTROLLING DEVICE Original Filed Feb. 9, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet1 F i I I k i I I INVENTORS FIG. 2 GEORGE E. HILL 8 MARCUS E. McGLELL 1ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1957 e. B. HILL ETAL 2,809,574

IMPLEMENT CONTROLLING DEVICE Original Filed Feb. 9, 194a 5 Sheets-Sheet2 IN V EN TORS GEORGEBH/LL 8 ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1957 G. B. HILL El'ALIMPLEMENT CONTROLLING DEVICE Original Filed Feb. 9. 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet3 INVENTORS GEORGE BH/LL 6? I I MARCUS E MLCL A/V Oct. 15, 1957 e. B.HILL ET'AL 2,309,574

IMPLEMENT CONTROLLING DEVICE GEO/765B. HILL 8 MARCUS E. McGLE A/VATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1957 e. B. HILL ETAL 2,809,574

IMPLEMENT CONTROLLING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Feb. 9,1946 IIVV EN TORS 7 I C'US E. MCCLEL AN 2? A 5%-,

ATTORNEYS 2,899,574 Patented Oct. 15, 195'? ice 2,809,574 Ht/EPLEMENTCONTROLLING DEVICE George B. Hill, Celina, Chic, and Marcus E.McClellan, Ottumwa, Iowa, assignors to Deere Manufacturing Co., acorporation of Iowa Continuation of application Serial No. 646,666,February 9, 1946. This application August 13, B53, Serial No. 373,986

3 Claims. (Cl. 9746.27)

The present invention relates generally to implement control devices andmore particularly to mechanism for adjustably controlling the height ofa harvester platform or the like. The application is a continuation ofapplication Serial No. 646,666, filed February 9, 1946, now abandoned.

ertain implements of the type adapted to be drawn behind a tractor inlaterally offset position, such as pickup presses, combines, cornharvesters, ensilage harvesters, hay choppers and the like, are usuallyprovided with a draft device in the form of a tongue or frame whichextends obliquely forwardly and laterally fromthe implement and isadapted to be pivotally connected at its forward end to a tractor forthe purpose of drawing the implement in laterally ofiset relation to thetractor during operation in the field. In order to transport theimplement from one field to another along narrow roads and throughgates, it is usually necessary to adjust the device horizontallyrelative to the implement in order to position the latter directlybehind the tractor, as is well known to those skilled in the art. Thisis sometimes accomplished by swinging the draft device under theharvester platform when the latter has been raised sufficiently toprovide clearance therefor.

Although harvester platforms have been provided with power-operatedmechanism for raising and lowering the same for the purpose of makingadjustment of the height of the platform during operation in the field,it has always been necessary, as far as we are aware, for the operatorto prepare the implement for transport by removing certain securingbolts from the draft device, swinging the latter manually from operatingposition to transport position, and then replacing the bolts. Thereverse operation has been required for converting the implement fromtransport to operating condition.

One of the principal objects of our invention, therefore, relates to theprovision of mechanism receiving power from the tractor engine, forperforming this function.

Many tractors are now provided with a hydraulic cylinder connected tothe tractor by fiuidpressure-transmitting hoses, but as a rule, only oneof such cylinders is provided and this is used for making adjustments ofthe harvester platform, and it would be inconvenient and expensive toprovide a second hydraulic cylinder for infrequently shifting the draftdevice between transport and working position. Therefore, it is afurther object of our invention to provide mechanism by which the singlehydraulic cylinder can be made to perform both functions of adjustingthe harvester platform and also shifting the draft device relative tothe implement frame between transport and working positions.

Still another object pertains to the provision, in this mechanism, formaintaining the draft device in horizontally fixed relation to theimplement frame during operation in the field while the harvesterplatform is raised and lowered by relative movement between the pistonand cylinder. Conversely, another object concerns the 2 provision forholding the harvester platform in raised position while the cylinder isused to shift the draft device laterally between working and transportpositions.

Still another object relates to the provision of means for automaticallylocking the draft device against horizontal movement and releasing theplatform for vertiacl adjustment, and vice-versa, responsive to movementof the piston and cylinder assembly under control of thetractoroperator, without requiring the operator to leave his position onthe tractor.

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art after a consideration of the followingdescription, in which reference is bad to the drawings appended hereto,in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a pickup baling press embodyingthe principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the baling press.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the hitch device and control mechanismdrawn to an enlarged scale, showing the parts in transport position.

Fig. is a side elevational view of the hitch device and controlmechanism shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the draft deviceand control mechanism,showing the parts in offset working position, with the platform inraised position.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the draft device and controlmechanism in the position shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the draft device and controlmechanism in a position in which the platform is lowered and the draftdevice is in working position.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a pickup baling press embodying a modifiedform of our invention.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the baling press shown in Pig. 8,in transport position.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1-7, theimplement is indicated in its entirety by reference numeral 10 andcomprises a generally transverse body or frame part 11 in the form of abale case supported on a pair of laterally spaced wheels 12 for travelover the ground. A harvester platform or first adjustable part 13 isconstructed rigidly with the body or frame 11 and extends forwardlytherefrom to gather crops from the ground and deliver them to the balecase. The forward end of the harvester platform 13 is provided with apickup device 14 for this purpose, but it is to be understood that ourinvention is not limited to this particular type of harvester.

Draft is applied to the implement through a hitch part or draft deviceincluding a main draft tongue 13 connected by a vertical draft pin 19 tothe drawbar 20 of a tractor, on which the forward end of the tongue 18is thus supported. The rear end of the draft tongue 13 is connected tothe implement frame 11 by mounting means that comprises a universaljoint 21 having a pair of rearwardly extending ears 22 fixed to the rearend of the draft tongue 18 and connected by transversely alined pivotpins 23 to a metal frame or yoke 4, which is pivotally connected byvertical bolts 25 and a channel beam 26 to the bottom of the bale caseand also to a pair of upper and lower supporting legs 27 rigidly mountedon and depending from the transverse frame 11 of the implement. Thus,the draft tongue 18 constitutes a second adjustable part verticallyswingable about the axis of the transverse pivot bolts 23 and laterallyswingable about the upright or vertical axis of the pivot bolts 25,relative to the implement frame 11.

Hence, the implement is tiltable about the transverse rolling axis ofthe supporting wheels 12 and pivots about the transverse axis of the pin23 to raise and lower the harvesting platform 13, while the forward endof the draft tongue 18 remains connected to the tractor drawbar 29.Furthermore, the implement frame 11 and draft tongue 18 are angularlyadjustable about the vertical axis of the bolts 25 in order to shift thedraft tongue laterally between the working position shown in solid linesin Fig. l and the transport position shown in dotted lines.

Control of the draft tongue 18 relative to the implement frame 11 isaccomplished by means of a power-actuated, force-exerting meansincluding a hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly or fluid motor 39comprising first and second force-exerting members or relatively movableparts in the form of a cylinder 31 and a piston 32. The cylinder 31 hasa mounting ear 33 at one end thereof pivoted at 34 to the upper end of ahitch-control lever 35 that is swingablefore-and-aft in a generallyvertical plane about a supporting pivot 36 on the draft tongue 18. Thepiston 32 is secured to the inner end of a piston rod 37, the outer endof which is pivotally connected at 38 to the upper end of a frameorplatform-control lever 39, which is pivotally mounted at 40 intermediateits ends on the side of the draft tongue 18. The lower end of the lever39 provides a lever arm portion that is connected to a rearwardlyextending force-transmitting member or link 45 by means of a pivot pin46 extending through a slot 47 in said link and affording a limitedamount of lost motion to provide a floating action of the platform overuneven ground. The rear end of the link 45 is connected by a universaljoint 4-8 to the lower frame leg 27 and includes a horizontal pivot 48aoffset beneath the transverse pivot axis 23 and a vertical pivot 48bcoaxial with the pivots 25.

The other lever 35 has a lever arm portion pivoted at 49 to the forwardend of. a force-transmitting member or link 59, which extends rearwardlyabove the draft tongue 18 and which has its rear end pivotally connectedat 51 to a gear segment 52 carried by a vertical shaft 53 on a mountingsleeve 54 surrounding and secured rigidly to the draft tongue 18. Thesleeve 54 also acts as a ree'nforcement for the draft tongue and servesas a mount for the lever 39 and for several other elements which will bedescribed.

The gear segment 52 meshes with a smaller gear segment 55 fixed on avertical shaft 56, which is journaled in a pair of'horizontallydisposed, vertically spaced plates 57 rigidly fixed, as by welding, tothe side of the sleeve 54. Between the plates 57 and rigidly secured tothe shaft 56 is a bifurcated lever arm 58 driven by the gear segment 755 and having a vertical pivot pin 59 connecting the outer end thereofto a link or force-transmitting member 60. The link 69 extendsrearwardly and outwardly from the draft tongue 18 and is connected bymeans of a universal joint 61 to the body or frame 11 of the implementat a point spaced laterally from the vertical pivot at 25 in theuniversal joint 21.

When the motor 30 extends, it applies a force against the upper ends ofthe levers 35 and 39, swinging them in relatively opposite directionsabout their pivot mountings 36 and 40, respectively, and when the motorretracts, the upper ends of the levers 35,39 are swung toward eachother. Thus, when the motor 30 extends, the lever 39 shifts the link 45forwardly or to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, relative to the drafttongue 18, thereby shifting the frame legs 27 forwardly relative to thetransverse pivot 23 and tilting the body or frame 11 of the implementrearwardly on its wheels 12 to raise the harvester platform 13.Conversely, when the motor 3! retracts, the lever 39 shifts the link 45rearwardly relative to the draft tongue 18 to lower the harvesterplatform.

' When the lever 35 moves forwardly about its pivot 36 the link isshifted forwardly and the gear segment 52 is rotated, which in turnrotates the gear segment 55 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewedin Fig. 5, thereby swinging the arm 58 from a forwardly extendingposition as in Fig. 5 to a rearwardly extending position as in Fig. 3,and shifting the diagonal link 61? rearwardly and outwardly to swing theimplementframe 11 relative to the draft tongue 15 about the verticalpivot 25 to the trans port position shown in Fig. 3, in which the tongue13 extends forwardly substantially perpendicular to the frame 11.Conversely, when the motor 30 retracts, its swings the lever 35rearwardly about its pivot 36, thereby rotating the gear segment 52 in acounterclockwise direction about its pivot 53, turning the gear segment55 in a clockwise direction and thereby swinging the arm 58 forwardly topull the diagonal link 69 and the implement frame 11 forwardly relativeto the draft tongue 18 into the working position shown in Fig. 5 and bysolid'lines in Fig. l.

in order to apply force against the levers 35 and 39 both when extendingand when retracting, the piston and c linder assembly 343 is of thebi-directional or doubleaction type, being provided with two hoses 65,66 for conducting fluid under pressure to either end of the cylinder 31,selectively.

C-bviously, it is desirable to separate the tilting movement of theimplement frame to raise and lower the platform from the horizontalshifting movement of the frame relative to the draft tongue betweentransport and working positions, for it is necessary, during operationin the field, to raise and lower the harvester platform for adjustmentwithout laterally shifting the implement tongue. And it is necessary toraise the harvester platform above the height of the draft tongue beforethe latter is shifted laterally under the platform. To accomplish thispurpose, the operation of the motor, in each direction of its opera tion(extending and return), is separated into first and second ranges, eachrange preferably including part of a stroke of the piston and the partstrokes being preferably in sequence in a single full stroke, so thatthe implement is first tilted to raise (or lower) the platform within afirst range of relative movement of the piston 32 in the cylinder 31,while the lateral shifting of the draft tongue 13 relative to the frame1.1 is accomplished in a second portion of the range of relativemovement of the piston 32 in the cylinder 31.

in the accomplishment of these objects the implement is retained orlocked in rearwardly tilted position, with the harvester platform 13raised above the plane of swinging movement of the draft tongue 18, bymeans of lock element or latch dog 7%? pivoted at 71 on a verticalsupporting plate 72, which is rigidly fixed to the side of the mountingsleeve 54. The latch dog 79 is swingable from a locking position, shownin Figs. 3 and 4, in which it engages the front edge of the lever 39, toa disengaged position, shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, in which it is swunglaterally through a slot 73 in the plate 72 and out of engagement withthe lever 39. The dog 79 is provided with a lever arm 74 extendinglaterally therefrom, and the arm 74 is connected by a spring 75 to arigid arm 755 fixed to the vertical plate 72. The spring 75 holds thelatch dog 76 in engagement with the lever 39 to fix the latter relativeto the draft tongue 18 in a position in whichthe frame 11 is tiltedrearwardly sufficiently to hold the harvester platform 13 above theplane of swinging movement of the draft tongue 18. With the lever 39locked in this position, any relative movement of the piston 32 andcylinder 31 causes the latter to shift fore and aft to swing the lever35 to shift the link 50 and thereby to move the gear segments 52 and 55angularly, whereby the arm 58 is rotated to shift the link 64) fore andaft, causing the draft tongue 18 and frame 11 to shift horizontallyangularly relative to each other. In this position, the lever 39 is inengagement with a stop block 77 and is held between the latch dog andthe stop 77, which prevents vertical swinging movement of the harvesterplatform.

Hence, as the lever 35 is shifted rearwardly by the cylinder 31 from theposition shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the draft tongue 18 shifts laterallyrelative to the frame 11 toward the angled position shown in Figs. 5 and6.

The latch dog 70 is disengaged from the lever 39 by means of a lug 8iWelded to the side of the link 50 in a position to be moved rearwardlywith the latter into engagement with the laterally extending crank arm74 on the dog 70. Thus, as the draft tongue 18 is moved into its workingposition shown in Fig. 5, the lug 80 engages the arm 74, forcing thelatter in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 5,thereby swinging the dog 70 through the slot 73 and out of engagementwith the lever 39, as best shown in Fig. 5. At this time, the gearsegment 52 is moved rearwardly to a position in which it is engaged bythe rear end of a second look element or detent arm 81 pivotally mountedat 82 on the side of the mounting sleeve 54. The rear end of the detentarm 81 is pivotally connected to a vertical link 83, the lower end ofwhich is pivoted to an arm 84, which is fixed to a shaft 85 extendingtransversely beneath the sleeve 54 and journaled in suitable supportinglugs 36 welded to the bottom of the sleeve 54. A downwardly extendingcrankvarm 87, secured rigidly to the transverse shaft 85, is biased by aspring 88 to swing rearwardly, thereby urging the detent arm 81 upwardlyagainst the lower side of the gear segment 52. When the forward edge ofthe gear segment 52 clears the detent arm 81, the latter shifts upwardlyunder the pressure of the spring 88 to engage the forward edge of thegear segment 52 and temporarily prevents forward movement thereof, thuslocking the draft tongue 18 in its angled working position as shown inFig. 5. In this position, as shown in Fig. 5, the rear edge of the gearsegment 52 engages a fixed stop 99 welded to the side of the mountingsleeve 54, and thus the gear segment 52 is locked between the fixed stopas and the detent arm 81. Hence any further retracting movement of thepiston 32 relative to the cylinder 31 causes the lever 39 to be shiftedin a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6, thus shifting thelink 45 rearwardly to lower the harvester platform 13.

The lower end of the crank arm 87 is connected by a link 91 to a pin 92in the lever 39. The link 91 has a longitudinal slot 93 through whichthe pin 92 extends and merely slides longitudinally of the slot 93 whilethe platform is being raised and lowered adjustably during operation inthe field. However, when the implement is being conditioned fortransport, the cylinder and piston assembly 30 is extended to raise theharvester platform 13, and just before the lever 39 engages the stop 77,the pin 92 reaches the forward end of the slot 93 and pulls the link 91forwardly, thereby drawing the detent 81 downwardly out of engagementwith the gear segment 52, with the result that the disengagement of thedetent Sland the engagement of the dog 70 with the upper portion of thelever 39 is substantially simultaneous.

The detent 81 and gear segment 52, when locked, operate as elements in afirst restraining device or control means for negativing lateralswinging of the tongue 18, thus confining the forces exerted by themotor 30 in its first range to the task of tilting the platform. Thiscontrol means is, however, when combined with 9293, one of limitedeffectiveness and endures only until the platform has achieved apredetermined height, at which time S1-52 is released and the forces nowbecome available to swing the tongue laterally. In addition to this, asecond restraining device or control means, represented by the upperportion of member 39 and stop 77, becomes effective to negative furthertilting of the platform, so that the available forces developed in thesecond range of the motor 3%; are confined to the task of swinging thetongue. The result is a simple sequence in which substantiallycontinuous forces are diverted from one task to another.

The weight of the harvester platform 13 is counterbalanced by means of aspring 95 connected at its forward end to a bracket 96 rigidly attachedto the bottom of the mounting sleeve 54 and connected at its rear end byuniversal joint means comprising a transverse pivot pin 97 in a block 98pivoted to the transverse frame member 26 on the upright axis 25'2548b.The tension of the spring tends to swing the lower portions of the legs27 forwardly about the transverse pivot 23, thereby tilting the upperportion of the frame rearwardly and raising the platform 13, and ispreferably provided with sufficient initial tension to raise theplatform without the aid of the cylinder.

The operation of the implement is summarized as follows: The implementis transported to the field by drawing it directly behind the tractor,in which position the draft tongue 18 extends directly forwardly fromthe universal joint connection 21, as indicated in dotted lines inFig. 1. In this position of the implement, the cylinder and pistonassembly 30 is in extended position, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, withthe lever 39 back against the stop 77 and locked in that position by thelatch dog 70, thereby holding the harvester platform 13 in raisedposition above the draft tongue 18, while the draft tongue 18 is held inforwardly extending position by the hydraulic fluid that is lockedbetween the piston 32 and the cylinder 31. When the implement reachesthe field of operation, the operator causes the piston and cylinderassembly 30 to retract, but since the arm 39 is locked against angularmovement relative to the tongue 18, the cylinder 31 and lever moverearwardly relative to the piston 32, thereby pushing the link and gearsegment 52 rearwardly about the axis 53 of the gear segment. Thisrotates the smaller gear segment 55 in a clockwise direction, as viewedin Fig. 3, thereby swinging the arm 58 forwardly, which pulls throughthe link 60 and universal joint 61 against the implement frame 11 untilthe gear segment 52 engages the stop 90. This rear movement of the link50 shifts the lug 80 into engagement with the arm 74 on the latch dog 70and disengages the latter from the lever 39 at about the time that thegear segment 52 engages the stop 90. The implement is now in workingposition, with the draft tongue 18 extending forwardly and laterally, asindicated in solid lines in Fig. 1, but the platform is still raised. Asthe gear segment 52 moves into engagement with the stop 99, the end ofthe detent arm 81 is uncovered by the gear segment 52 so that furtherretracting of the cylinder and piston assembly 30 causes the lower endof the arm 39 to move rearwardly, together with the pin 92 .in the slot93 of the link 91. This releases the bell crank arm 84 to move upwardlyunder the action of the spring 88, thereby shifting the detent arm 81into engagement with the for ward edge of the gear segment 52 to lockthe draft tongue 18 in fixed angular relation to the implement frame 11.This locks the forward lever 35 and cylinder 31 against furthermovement, after which the piston 32 continues to move forwardly in thecylinder 31 and lowers the harvester platform 13 to the ground, asindicated in Fig. 7, and the selective control means 5231 is effectiveto hold the draft tongue against lateral swinging while conditioning theframe and platform for rearward and upward tilting.

Under some operating conditions, it is desirable to hold the harvesterplatform 13 at various adjusted heights above the ground. This isaccomplished by extending or retracting the cylinder and piston assembly30 to obtain any desired ground clearance. Inasmuch as the cylinder 31and lever 35 are locked against fore-and-aft movement by means of thedetent 81, any adjustment of the piston 32 in the cylinder'31 causes atilting movement of the implement frame on its supporting wheels andabout the axis of the transverse bolts 23 in the universal joint 21. 1

When the implement is to be removed from the field of operation, theoperator causes hydraulic fluid to be forced through the hose into theforward end of the cylinder .31, thereby forcing the piston 32rearwardly and the lower end of the arm 39 forwardly to transmit forcethrough the link 45 for raising the platform. The lever 39 movesuntilthe pin 92 engages the forward end of the slot 93 to swing the arm87 forwardly and thus disengage the detent 81 from the gear segment 52.At this point the lever 39 also engages the stop 77, with the resultthat further extending action of the piston and cylinder assembly 30causes the cylinder 31 to move forwardly, to disengage the lug 80 fromthe arm 74, thereby permitting the spring 75 to turn the latch dog 70into engagement with the front of the lever 39. The implement is nowlocked in rearwardly tilted position, with the harvester platform raisedto its full extent; after which further extending movement of theassembly 39 forces the cylinder 31 forwardly, which pulls through thelink 59 against the gear segment 52, thereby rotating the smaller gearsegment 55 in a counterclockwise direction to move the latter from theworking position shown in Fig. back to the transport position shown inFig. 3, which acts through the link 60 to return the frame 11 and drafttongue 18 to the transport position.

7 Referring now to the embodiment shown in Figs. Sand 9, the balingpress 10 is similar to that of the foregoing description and'has similarparts indicated by like reference numerals.

The force-exerting means comprises a fluid motor having a hydrauliccylinder 109 pivotally mounted on a transverse pivot' 1%31 on a verticalspindle 102 on the draft tongue 1% and a piston 105 slidable therein. Apiston rod 1113, connected to the piston 1G5, serves as a force-exertingmember and extends out of the rear end of the cylinder and isuniversally connected at 104 to the bale case 11 on a transverselyextending axis 104a spaced above the axis of the horizontal pivot bolts23 and a vertical axis 111411 spaced laterally from the vern'cal pivotaxis 25, with the result that when the piston 105 moves rearwardly inthe cylinder, it exerts a force against the body having componentstending to tilt the body rearwardly relative to the tongue 18 about thetransverse pivot axis 23 to raise the rigid platform 13 and also toswing the tongue 1t laterally inwardly about the vertical pivot axis 25.

The platform 13 is provided with control means in the form of a track111 of channel section rigidly fixed thereto and having a generallyvertical portion 111 extending downwardly at the side of the platformadjacent the tongue 18. The channel member turns laterally beneath theplatform to provide a generally horizontal track portion 112 curved inan are about the vertical pivot axis 25. The vertical portion 111 iscurved in an arc about the transverse pivot axis 23.

. A track follower in the form of a roller 113 is journaled on a bracket114 mounted on the draft tongue 18 in a position in which it runs in thechannel track member 11%. When the piston 195 moves rearwardly in thecylinder 1%, the implement is tilted rearwardly on its Wheels 12,raising the platform 13, but the roller 113 bearing against the verticaltrack portion 111 prevents lateral swinging movement of the draft tongue18 about its vertical pivot axis 25 until the platform 13 is raised tothe position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 9, after which furtherextension of the piston rod pushes the draft tongue 18 laterally underthe platform 13,'the roller 113 then running in the horizontal portion112 of the track to prevent the platform 13 from lowering. The implementis then in transport position, as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 8and 9. Thus, the vertical part or element 111 of the control track ispart of a control means or device of limited effectivenessmeasured byits lengthto confine forcesexerted by the motor 100-405 to the task oftilting the platform, since forces tending to swing the tongue arenegatived until the roller element 113 reaches the junction of the trackor control elements 111 and 112. And the track part 112 combines withthe roller element 113 to provide a second control means or device oflimited effectiveness, because, when the roller 113 runs under the trackpart 112, vertical movement of the platform in at least one direction isprevented; and forces exerted by the motor 100105are confined to thetask of swinging the tongue. Becausetheresistance of the tilted 8platform to further tilting upwardly is greater than the resistance ofthe tongue to lateral swinging, no stop means need be provided to limitupward tilting of the platform, but such stop means could be supplied inany suitable manner if desired.

The implement can be returned to normal operating position by causingthe piston to move forwardly in the cylinder 100, thereby swinging thedraft tongue 18 laterally outwardly while the roller 113 prevents theplatform from dropping until the roller begins to travel upwardly alongthe vertical portion 111 of the track 110. A collapsible brace 115 inthe form of a pair of telescoping members connects the draft tongue 18with the bale case 11. When the tongue 18 swings outwardly, its movementis stopped in normal working position by the bottcming of the bracingmembers 115, one within the other, whereby further forward movement ofthe piston 105 in the cylinder causes the body to tilt forwardly,lowering the platform 13. The roller at this time rolls upwardly alongthe vertical track section 111.

We claim:

1. In an implement having a frame part and a hitch part interconnectedfor relative swinging about a vertical axis and also for relativetilting about a horizontal axis so that the frame part may be tiltedupwardly and the hitch part swung laterally, the improvement comprising:a hitch control member movable on one part and connected to the otherpart for swinging the parts relatively; a frame control member movableon one part and connected to the other part for tilting the parts;force-exerting means having a pair of force-exerting members connectedrespectively to the hitch control member and the frame control memberand arranged for relative movement through first and second ranges toact on one control member and to react on the other control member;selectively releasable and engageable means engaged between one part andthe hitch control member and released from one part and the framecontrol member for holding the hitch control member so that first-rangeoperation of the force-exerting means eifects only relative tilting ofthe parts; and means interconnecting the force-exerting means and theselectively releasable and engageable means and operative upon changefrom firstto second-range operation of the force-exerting means torelease the hitch control part and to hold the frame control part sothat secondrange operation of the force-exerting means effects onlyrelative swinging of the parts.

2. In an implement having a frame part and a hitch part interconnectedfor both relative lateral swinging about a vertical axis and relativetilting about a horizontal axis so that the frame part may be tiltedupwardly and the hitch part swung laterally, the improvement comprising:force-exerting means connected to one of the parts and having membersmovable in a predetermined range relative to each other selectively backand forth in opposite directions along a defined path; means connectedto one of the members and one of the parts for transmitting force fromthe force-exerting means in one direction to cause relative swinging ofthe parts; second means connected to one of the force-exerting membersand one of the parts for transmitting force from the force-exertingmeans in another direction to cause relative tilting of the parts; meansassociated with the first force-transmitting means for disabling saidfirst force-transmitting means during relative movement of theforce-exerting members in either direction through an initial part ofthe aforesaid range so that the parts are relatively tilted only; andmeans associated with the second force-transmitting means for disablingsaid second force-transmitting means and restoring the firstforce-transmitting means during relative movement of the force-exertingmembers in either direction in a subsequent part of said range so thatthe parts are relatively swung only.

. 3. In an. implement having a frame part and a forwardly extendinghitch part connected to the frame part 9 for relative swinging of theparts about a vertical axis and also for relative tilting of the partsabout a transverse horizontal axis so that the frame part may be tiltedupwardly and the hitch part swung laterally, the improvement comprising:first and second levers pivoted on the hitch part on spaced apart axes;a force-transmitting connection between the first lever and a portion ofthe frame part spaced vertically from the tilting axis so that rockingof the first lever is effective to tilt the frame part relative to thehitch part; a second force-transmitting connection, between the secondlever and a portion of the frame part spaced laterally from the swingingaxis so that rocking of the second lever is efiective to swing the framepart relative to the hitch part; force-exerting means connected betweenthe levers and operative through a predetermined range to act on onelever and react against the other for rocking the levers; a firstreleasable lock element between the hitch part and the first lever forimmobilizing the first lever; a second releasable lock element betweenthe hitch part and the second lever for immobilizing the second lever;and means operative in response to operation of the force-exerting meansfor initially locking the first lock element and releasing the secondlock element and for sequentially releasing the first locking elementand locking the second lock element so that the first and second leversare alternately immobilized and released to produce first relativeswinging and then relative tilting of the frame parts.

No references cited.

